Not Applicable.
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of arch support orthosis for feet, and more particularly to a therapeutic arch orthosis including a variably tensioned arch curve and a method of utilizing the orthosis in treating foot disorders.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior foot support devices typically provide flexible cushioning material for support of an arch of a foot. Typical prior devices have provided pliable cushion pads that can be utilized to build up the cushioning materials for support of a heel or an arch. Other prior devices have provided shoes or boots that contain an integral and non-removable foot support structure that is installed as a single unit into a specially designed shoe or boot having an externally accessed adjustment screw or connector, which is not transferable to other shoes. The arch portions of prior pliable insoles were not adjustable without adding or removing layers of cushioning materials.
Prior foot instep supports typically provide an arch curve that is composed of flexible materials such as leather, foam, pliable plastic, and/or resilient sheet metal to provide comfort for the wearer of the foot instep supports. Prior insole or instep devices generally are made to have a similar thickness along the length of the insole, or have a solid arch portion composed of flexible rubber or compressible foam material having a thickness extending continuously from the arch surface to a generally flat base of the insole. The prior foot instep supports were malleable and did not retain a rigid shape. The prior foot instep supports were purposefully made of malleable and flexible materials to allow changing of the curvatures to fit a user, and/or to allow the instep supports to be bent to fit into different styles of shoes. The heel and/or arch curve portions of prior instep supports were typically compressed over periods of extended use, with little or no repetitive rebound properties for retention of the original curvature of the arch portion or the instep support portion. With no retention of the original curvature of the arch portion of prior instep supports, the arch portion would fail and flatten with use, and a user""s arch curve was not properly supported after extended use of prior instep supports, leading to arch pain and/or heel pain identified in layman""s terms as xe2x80x9cfalling arches.xe2x80x9d
The prior arch support devices only provided arch adjustments that require replacements of stackable members of cushioning. Other foot support devices require lateral movement of arch support portions controlled by adjusting connectors external to the shoe, and which require significant shoe modifications to permanently install within enclosing shoes or sports boots. The stackable members of cushioning deformed and flattened during extended use, and the foot support devices permanently installed within shoes were not transferable to other pairs of shoes.
Medically dispensed shoe orthotics typically provide a rigid orthotic having been generated from a cast formed of a patient""s foot. The medically dispensed orthotic typically extends a partial length of the foot, from the toes to the arch portion, of from the arch portion to the heel portion, or extends the full length of the foot. The medically dispensed orthotic is not adjustable in overall length or in arch curve height, therefore when a user""s foot changes due to growth, or an arch curve resumes a pre-injury height, the cast-formed orthotic is discarded and an additional cast formed orthotic is required to be generated by a medically trained professional to adequately support the foot.
Commercially available sport shoe inserts typically provide a cushioned cover over a rigid length of plastic. The rigid length of plastic may extend from the arch curve portion to a heel portion of the foot, or may extend from the toes to the heel portion of the foot. The sport shoe insert typically is available in one or two arch curve heights such as a xe2x80x9chigh archxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmedium archxe2x80x9d style, with the same arch curve height provided for both of the right and left shoe inserts. The user is expected to select a foot length and arch curve height (high or medium arch), that matches his or her foot, and the user is typically not provided with assistance from a trained professional. A user having a xe2x80x9clow archxe2x80x9d must utilize a xe2x80x9cmedium archxe2x80x9d style, or locate a lower arch support insert.
There is a need for an adjustable arch support orthosis providing therapeutic rigid support of the longitudinal arch of the feet, with the orthosis transferable between pairs of footware. A need exists for an adjustable arch support orthosis including a generally rigid medial longitudinal arch curve that is variably adjustable in tension along the slope of the arch curve during each weighted and unweighted cycle of walking and running. A further need exists for an adjustable arch curve orthosis including a generally rigid medial longitudinal arch curve having a means for adjusting the tension along the arch curve, to allow a user to adjust the tension and height of the arch curve for proper fit under each arch of the right and left foot, and for proper fit in various styles of footware.
An additional need includes providing a method for utilizing an arch support orthosis being adjustable in tension along the arch curve, including varying the tension along the arch curve of the arch support orthosis for treatment of foot disorders under the supervision of a medical professional for a user suffering from heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, arch pain, tendinitis, metatarsalgia, and related foot disorders. A need exists for a method of adjusting the tension along the arch curve of an adjustable arch support orthosis, with maintenance over repetitive uses of a preferred arch curve tension and slope for support of the user""s arches of the feet, with minimal training of the user and without the need for daily or weekly supervision of a medical professional.
The invention comprises an arch support orthosis including an adjustable arch curve being variably tensioned and being continuous along the arch curve surface. The arch support orthosis is positionable underneath the foot and is sized and shaped to be removably placed in a shoe or other foot enclosure worn by a user. The arch support orthosis includes a plurality of contoured surface curves for support of the plurality of contours across the width and along the length of the underside of the foot. The arch support orthosis includes a metatarsal curve to support the metatarsal bones of the forefoot portion, includes a curved heel portion to support the calcaneus bone of the heel portion, and includes an interior upwardly arched side and an outer curved lateral edge. A continuous arch support curve (hereinafter, arch curve) of the orthosis includes a medial longitudinal arch surface along the interior upwardly arched side. The arch curve includes an anterior slope that is inclined at an anterior angle to form the leading portion of the arch curve. The arch curve includes a posterior slope that is inclined at a posterior angle to form the trailing portion of the arch curve. The arch curve further includes a medial slope that is inclined from a crown of an upper surface of the medial longitudinal arch surface towards the outer lateral edge of the orthosis. The anterior slope add the posterior slope includes a varying thickness having a depth and thickness of material that varies from the base of each slope to the upper portion of each slope along a crown of the arch curve. The base thickness of each slope is generally thicker than the thickness of the upper portion of each slope. The crown of the arch curve includes a lesser thickness than the base thickness of each slope to provide a variable thickness arch curve that is pliable and resilient along the crown for support of the mid-portion of a person""s arch. The greater base thickness of each anterior and posterior slopes provides firm support of each respective anterior curve and posterior curve of a person""s arch, while minimizing the degeneration of the rigidity of the arch curve over prolonged utilization in support of each respective arch. The respective base portions of each slope and the crown portion of the arch curve are respectively rigid along the base and the mid-portion of each slope, while being resilient along the crown for appropriate support of each respective portion of the user""s arches during utilization of the adjustable arch support orthosis.
A means of tensioning is connectable under the continuous arch curve, and includes an adjusting means attached thereon. The tensioning means and adjusting means allows the user to adjust the anterior angle of the anterior slope, the posterior angle of the posterior slope, and to adjust the tension along the slopes and the crown of the arch curve. The variably tensioned arch curve provides a user with multiple adjustments of the tension and height parameters of the arch curve for therapeutic treatment of various foot conditions. The arch support orthosis is easily removable without readjusting the tension and height parameters of the arch curve for placement in any pair of footwear.
The present invention further discloses a method of utilizing the arch support orthosis for treatment of inflamation and pain in the foot by applying an arch support orthosis having a variably tensioned continuous arch curve under the foot. The method includes selectively and periodically adjusting the tension along the arch curve, and the angle of the anterior and posterior slopes of the arch curve, by the wearer""s manipulating of the tensioning and adjusting means attached under the arch curve. The method provides therapeutic support and strengthening of the wearer""s arches to relieve inflamation and pain associated with plantar fasciitis and/or tendinitis of related connective tissues and joints of wearer""s foot.